UPDATE: The verdict was handed down minutes ago. Guilty, of assault causing bodily harm, fabricating evidence and obstruction of justice. The judge had no time at all for the cop’s story, preferring instead to believe his own lying eyes. There were no grounds to arrest the man in the first place, he said, and even if there had been, excessive force was used.

So a cop who once beat up a mental patient who had attempted suicide is caught on camera, and…well, really, what choice did the judge have? Of course, without that video, the victim could well be serving time for that mouldy old standby, assaulting a police officer.

There is, of course, another shoe yet to drop. Sentencing will take place on October 17. At that point we’ll learn if a single standard of justice prevails.

In the meantime, readers will understand why I remain somewhat ambivalent on the surveillance issue. How many people have been exonerated of bogus charges at this point because police claims have been refuted by photographic evidence?

PS: For your edification, here’s a close-up of the thug, Constable Jason Nevill, from the Barrie Advance. Doesn’t he just look the part?